MUGGERS Alley was the scene of a violent attempted robbery last month in the same location as 60-year-old Aulton ‘Tom’ Rogers was murdered in an entirely unrelated incident.

Four days before Tom was found by a member of the public three young men were walking through the Western Flyer underpass when they were approached from behind and attacked.

They were punched to the back of the head, and one was attacked using an object as a weapon. While no property was taken, police are treating the incident as attempted robbery.

One of the victims was left unconscious after the assault and was admitted to hospital.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “The incident happened in the underpass between Station Road and the Oasis Leisure Centre on June 22 at approximately 4am.

“Three men, all in their 20s, were approached from behind by two unknown men. The victims were then punched to the back of the head and one of the victims was hit with a hard object.

“This victim was left unconscious following the attack and required hospital treatment. The two suspects then fled the scene without taking any property.

“The first suspect is described as a white man wearing blue tracksuit bottoms, a pale coloured vest top and a hooded top tied around his waist.

“The second suspect is described as a white man wearing dark coloured trousers, a white T-shirt with a dark pocket on the left hand-side and dark coloured collar. He was wearing dark footwear.

“Wiltshire Police would like to issue the following safety messages which apply at all times, not just when there has been an incident. Avoid walking alone late at night, make sure someone knows where you are going and when you expect to return, consider carrying a personal alarm, make sure your mobile phone is charged and you have sufficient credit, use well-lit routes, plan how you are getting home and use public transport if possible and report any suspicious activity.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Wiltshire Police via 101.

What I find hard to believe is this is 100 metres from a police station! Would it be too much to send a police officer or PCSO on a bike down there every house to look for suspicious activity? We don't need CCTV. The effort involved to sort through it is only worth it in murder/missing person inquiries.

What I find hard to believe is this is 100 metres from a police station! Would it be too much to send a police officer or PCSO on a bike down there every house to look for suspicious activity? We don't need CCTV. The effort involved to sort through it is only worth it in murder/missing person inquiries.swindon_mini

swindon_mini wrote:
What I find hard to believe is this is 100 metres from a police station! Would it be too much to send a police officer or PCSO on a bike down there every house to look for suspicious activity? We don't need CCTV. The effort involved to sort through it is only worth it in murder/missing person inquiries.

That should be hour and not house.

[quote][p][bold]swindon_mini[/bold] wrote:
What I find hard to believe is this is 100 metres from a police station! Would it be too much to send a police officer or PCSO on a bike down there every house to look for suspicious activity? We don't need CCTV. The effort involved to sort through it is only worth it in murder/missing person inquiries.[/p][/quote]That should be hour and not house.swindon_mini

I would presume that name there has been annotated by a user of google maps. No council is going to name a secluded path 'Muggers Alley'.

[quote][p][bold]Synergie[/bold] wrote:
Google Maps. It's clearly marked as 'Muggers Alley'[/p][/quote]I would presume that name there has been annotated by a user of google maps. No council is going to name a secluded path 'Muggers Alley'.Phantom Poster

That underpass has been known as muggers alley since I was a child and certainly somewhere that you needed to be cautious.
I dont remember it being as bad as it has been in recent months though it is obviously not policed regularly and if above is the best cctv available convictions will be difficult to achieve.

Criminals know this is a secluded area where they can prey on people. Why stop when so few caught and in the case of M Price they can be back to commit more crimes.

That underpass has been known as muggers alley since I was a child and certainly somewhere that you needed to be cautious.
I dont remember it being as bad as it has been in recent months though it is obviously not policed regularly and if above is the best cctv available convictions will be difficult to achieve.
Criminals know this is a secluded area where they can prey on people. Why stop when so few caught and in the case of M Price they can be back to commit more crimes.Badgersgetabadname

Swindon Council need to start now looking at an alternative routing for the Western Flyer which avoids this subway and main roads. A bridge over the railway probably not really practical (albeit not impossible) as it would need extra clearance for the 25kv overheads going up and need approach ramps either side.

There are other locations along the "Flyer", which I have used myself around 10pm which are just as forbidding, along by the Waterworks (which becomes an unofficial lorry park in the evening) and the overgrown alley of trees on towards Westlea. The path itself is rough in places, as I commented in another article on the same thing not conducive to easy cycling and getting away from a situation quickly.

As regards personal defence, sadly in this country if you stand up for yourself with any sort of spray or weapon you are likely to get a longer sentence than the perpetrator had they attacked you. Which leaves avoidance (visibility) or running away (easy egress) the only practical options.

Swindon Council need to start now looking at an alternative routing for the Western Flyer which avoids this subway and main roads. A bridge over the railway probably not really practical (albeit not impossible) as it would need extra clearance for the 25kv overheads going up and need approach ramps either side.
There are other locations along the "Flyer", which I have used myself around 10pm which are just as forbidding, along by the Waterworks (which becomes an unofficial lorry park in the evening) and the overgrown alley of trees on towards Westlea. The path itself is rough in places, as I commented in another article on the same thing not conducive to easy cycling and getting away from a situation quickly.
As regards personal defence, sadly in this country if you stand up for yourself with any sort of spray or weapon you are likely to get a longer sentence than the perpetrator had they attacked you. Which leaves avoidance (visibility) or running away (easy egress) the only practical options.NorthernWarrior

swindon_mini wrote:
What I find hard to believe is this is 100 metres from a police station! Would it be too much to send a police officer or PCSO on a bike down there every house to look for suspicious activity? We don't need CCTV. The effort involved to sort through it is only worth it in murder/missing person inquiries.

It's not a police station it's a police point, somewhere to park their cars when they go for lunch.

[quote][p][bold]swindon_mini[/bold] wrote:
What I find hard to believe is this is 100 metres from a police station! Would it be too much to send a police officer or PCSO on a bike down there every house to look for suspicious activity? We don't need CCTV. The effort involved to sort through it is only worth it in murder/missing person inquiries.[/p][/quote]It's not a police station it's a police point, somewhere to park their cars when they go for lunch.nobody

cctv is mainly a deterrent, good quality ones cost real money, and the system needs manning, whilst prevention is better than cure, it has to wondered whether the lack of enforcement, monitoring or even having this route open, leads to a need to examine if or who could be liable for prosecution for negligence with regard to health and safety of the public in a renowned historical location of criminal behaviour.

cctv is mainly a deterrent, good quality ones cost real money, and the system needs manning, whilst prevention is better than cure, it has to wondered whether the lack of enforcement, monitoring or even having this route open, leads to a need to examine if or who could be liable for prosecution for negligence with regard to health and safety of the public in a renowned historical location of criminal behaviour.faatmaan

My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.

My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.LordCharles

LordCharles wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.

Good luck getting anywhere near there. Was at the oasis last night for a function and the place was crawling with old bill.

[quote][p][bold]LordCharles[/bold] wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.[/p][/quote]Good luck getting anywhere near there. Was at the oasis last night for a function and the place was crawling with old bill.Davey Gravey

LordCharles wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.

You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.

[quote][p][bold]LordCharles[/bold] wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.[/p][/quote]You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.Phantom Poster

LordCharles wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.

You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.

I should also have pointed out that none of the recent incidents happened on a Friday or Saturday night.

[quote][p][bold]Phantom Poster[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]LordCharles[/bold] wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.[/p][/quote]You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.[/p][/quote]I should also have pointed out that none of the recent incidents happened on a Friday or Saturday night.Phantom Poster

LordCharles wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.

You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.

I was part of a lesson once by an unarmed combat instructor. We asked the best thing to do if mugged by a knifeman. His response was to "hand over your wallet".

[quote][p][bold]Phantom Poster[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]LordCharles[/bold] wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.[/p][/quote]You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.[/p][/quote]I was part of a lesson once by an unarmed combat instructor. We asked the best thing to do if mugged by a knifeman. His response was to "hand over your wallet".Chrisg46

LordCharles wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.

You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.

I was part of a lesson once by an unarmed combat instructor. We asked the best thing to do if mugged by a knifeman. His response was to &quot;hand over your wallet".

Exactly, knife defences are taught as a last resort if you can't avoid the situation. Real life is not like training night down the club where if you mis-time a block you just laugh and try again.

Of course the poster is not exactly the sharpest tool on the box. Now any hard cases in town on a Friday or Saturday night spoiling for a fight know where to find some posey kung fu students to beat up!

[quote][p][bold]Chrisg46[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]Phantom Poster[/bold] wrote:
[quote][p][bold]LordCharles[/bold] wrote:
My mates from the Fei Lung Kwan Kung Fu discipline Academy have decided to patrol this underpass on Friday nights and Saturday nights. If you intend to rob someone there between 1000 and 0400 then expect to be spending a considerable time in hospital with kick and chop wounds. It will be our defence response. You have been warned. You will not know who we are until it is too late. Good luck.[/p][/quote]You think that doing a martial art makes you invincible? I think your mates might be spending a considerable time in hospital with stab wounds, if they don't first die of boredom walking up and down the same path till 4 in the morning.[/p][/quote]I was part of a lesson once by an unarmed combat instructor. We asked the best thing to do if mugged by a knifeman. His response was to "hand over your wallet".[/p][/quote]Exactly, knife defences are taught as a last resort if you can't avoid the situation. Real life is not like training night down the club where if you mis-time a block you just laugh and try again.
Of course the poster is not exactly the sharpest tool on the box. Now any hard cases in town on a Friday or Saturday night spoiling for a fight know where to find some posey kung fu students to beat up!Phantom Poster